Annual Grants

Since 1889, The Woman’s Club of Evanston (WCE) has had a proud history of helping support organizations that make a difference in our community and that commitment continues this year as we launch our solicitation for grant applications. The WCE is dedicated to community service, philanthropic work and friendship and boasts nearly 400 members from the North Shore, Chicago and surrounding communities. Annually, our organization donates thousands of volunteer hours of direct service to the community and raises between $125,000 and $150,000 for charitable causes.

Each year, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Evanston and surrounding communities are invited to submit grant applications to The Woman’s Club of Evanston. Since 2000, the WCE’s Contributions Committee has designated an annual funding focus. All applicants should clearly describe how their project fits within the chosen focus area. For the 2017-2018 application cycle, the funding focus is as follows:

The WCE seeks grant applications for programs in Evanston and the surrounding communities that invest in women and girls so they may thrive and reach their full potential.

Applications are used to identify beneficiaries of our community grants (typically $1000 – $5000) as well as the recipients for our Clubhouse Usage Grant and the 2019 Revue. The application also identifies organizations for potential Community Outreach volunteer service projects.

The 2017 grant application cycle has ended. Please visit this page in September 2018 for information about community grant opportunities. If you have additional questions, please email contributions@wcofe.org.

Grant recipients are for the past year were:

2018 Revue: McGaw YMCA Men’s Residence Program

Will support the McGaw Y Men’s Residence Program. The program provides affordable rental housing, supportive services and a caring community for low-income men at various stages of their lives. This money will support men in crisis and prevent them from becoming homeless by providing additional supports to help achieve the goal of keeping these men housed in a place they call home.

Will fund a wide array of on-site supportive services offered to the tenants of the longer term housing for survivors of domestic abuse. This longer term housing is a 16 unit apartment building (maximum occupancy 52) that will open this year, serving individuals who are homeless and have received domestic violence services from a non-profit agency in the last 12 months.

Clubhouse Usage: Interfaith Action of Evanston (IAE)

IAE is a non-profit organization whose mission is to bring together those of various faiths to service people who are hungry or homeless. They work with 40 faith-based institutions and collaborate with the City of Evanston, Connections for the Homeless and the Greater Chicago Food Depository. The support will allow IAE to hold their first dedicated fundraising event for their donors, supporters and volunteers.

2017 Community Grants:

Bundled Blessings – The grant will be used towards providing diapers for 100 children.

Connections for the Homeless – The grant will be used for general operating support to clients, staffing, and support of staffing.

ESSCA – The grant will direct funds toward purchasing new clothing items for high-risk children in District 65.

Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse – The grant will use the funds for its Workforce Training Expansion project.

Family PromiseChicago North Shore – The grant will provide focused outreach to families with children and support general operations

The Floured Apron – The grant will support the organization’s training program that helps women for entry into the culinary work force.

GoodNews Partners – The grant will be used to provide crisis shelter services to its residents.

Heartland Alliance Marjorie Kovler Center – The grant will support the services that empower survivors, help them heal from physical and psychological trauma, gain stability and rebuild their lives.

Howard Area Community Center – The grant will be used to offset general operations of the program called “Assistance for homeless clients and those at risk for homeless”.

James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy – The grant will be put towards their Homeless Youth Stabilization Project.

Lawrence Hall – The grant will support the East Rogers Park Older Adolescents Transitional Living Program site.

LifeSpan – The grant will assist women and children in emergency situations by providing shelter in the event of imminent homelessness.

New Moms – The grant will be used for operational expenses for helping young moms and their children.

Sarah’s Circle – The grant will be used for general operating support and will help with costs for the daytime support center care supplies for homeless/at-risk women

Second Baptist Church – The grant will support operations of the Soup Kitchen throughout the upcoming fiscal year.

Souper Saturday/First Presbyterian Church – The grant will allow purchase of fresh meat to prepare ground beef based meals every three weeks for a year.

Y.O.U. – The grant will support youth with professional attire and other resources to ensure their confidence and success at job interviews and career-related events

Next years grant application will be posted on this site in September of 2017.